Tray mechanism.



IVI. M. HAMMOND.

TRAY MECHANlSM.

APPLICATION man ocr, 2. 1914.

LQAWK Mem@ June 12, 1917.

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TRAY MEGHANISM.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June i2, i917..

Application filed October 2, 1914. Seria1No- 864,591.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, MARY M. HAMMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tray Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tray mechanisms.

It relates particularly to tray mechanisms in which a plurality of trays are pivotally connected together so as to be swung from a position superposed one above the other to a position in which they will be disposed side by side in the same plane or one higher than the other.

The object of my invention is to provide such a pivotal connection between the trays that the trays may be readily detached from each other or as readily connected together.

By means of my improvement any number of the improved trays may be assembled together, with little labor and without the use of tools, or a number of trays may be quickly reduced to the number required for the particular purpose in view.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of my improvement,

Figure l is a perspective view of the trays in the superposed position.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the trays shown in the intermediate position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through one of the links and parts connected therewith.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the locking plates.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the links.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation showing the trays in the stretched out position.

Similar' characters of reference designate similar parts in the diiierent views.

1, 2, and 3 designate respectively the top, intermediate and bottom tray, the trays, preferably being of substantially the same dimensions and of rectangular form.

4 designates parallel links arranged in pairs, each tray being connected with the one immediately below with a pair of links lat each end of the tray.

The links 4 are pivotally connected with the trays by means of pivot pins 5, preferably shouldered ,and secured to the trays,

and provided, preferably, at their outer ends with heads.

Each link is provided adjacent to its ends respectively with two longitudinal slots, each having at its inner end an enlargement 6 adapted to permit the passage therethrough of the head of the pivot pin 5 which extends through said slot. The outer end of each slot is narrower than the diameter oi the head of the pin, so that as longas the pin is in the narrower portion, designated by 7, of the slot, the link will be retained on the pin.

For releasably holding the links 4 with the pins 5 extending through thel narrow portions 7 of the slots, there is provided at the outer side of each link 4 a spacing locking plate S, the ends of which are respectively provided with notches or lrecesses 9 adapted to respectively receive the adjacent pins 5, the said notches or recesses being oit' less `width than the diameters of the adjacent heads oit' the pins 5, so that the locking plates will be held in operative position against the links 4 by said heads.

The plates 8 have the notches 9 so spaced apart that, when in operative position, as shown in Fig. 3, the pins 5 will be held disposed in the extreme outer ends of the narrow portions 7 of the slots in the links.

The plates 8 are flexible, so that they may be bent outwardly between the ends, thereby shortening them, so that they may be released rom the pins 5, when it is desired to detach the links 4 from said pins. The plates 8 are also, preferably resilient, so that they will ire-assume and normally retain their straight unbent form.

The distances between vthe pins 5 are such that the trays may be swung Jfrom the superposed position shown in Fig. l to the stretched out position shown in Fig. 6

Adjacent edges of each pair oi' links 4 may be respectively provided with projections l0 adapted to engage adjacent ends of the adj acent links, when the trays are in either the superposed or stretched out positions. In these positions, the projections 10 serve to brace the trays against lateral movement relatively to each other.

A iinger hold 1l may be secured to the tray l, for assisting in swinging the trays to and from the superposed position.

Each end of each tray is provided with two sets of pins 5, each set being used when the tiny is an intermediate one.

"pins 5, after which, the links previously held y said plates may be moved to positions in which the heads of the pins V will pass through the enlarged portions 6 of the slots in the links. The links 4C connecting the bot- Y tom tray with the one next above may then be removed from the pins 5, thereby detach- Zio ing the bottom tray from the set.

.Another tray may be attached to the bottom tray'by reversing the operation just above described.

I do not limit my invention to the struc'- ture described and sliownfas modilications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without 'departing from the spirit of my invention.-

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: Y j

l. In a tray mechanism, two trays, each having at one end an outwardly extending pivot pin, a link having means for detachably pivotally engaging said pins, and releasable means for retaining said link engaged with said pins. i

2; In a tray mechanism, two trays, each having at one end an outwardly extending ypivot pin, a link having means for detachably pivotally engaging said pins, and a flexible member having means for engaging said pins for retaining said link engaged rwith said pins, said liexible member being adapted to be flexed from a position in Awhich it operatively engages said pins to a position in which it will be released from the pins. j Y Y Y3. In a tray mechanism, two trays, each having at one end an outwardly extending pivot pin provided at yits outer end'with a` head, a link pivotally and detachably engaging said pivot pins at the inner sides of said heads, and a locking member releasably'engaging said pinsl between said link and said heads for retaining the link in engagement with said pins. v Y

Ll. In a tray mechanism, two vtrays each having at one end an outwardly extending pivot pin, a link pivotally and detacliably engaging said pivot pins anda iiexiblelocking member Vwhich in the operative position enO'aOes said ins and retains the lenoth'inf operative engagement with said pins, the

,Y ends 'of said member havingV notches for receiving said pinsV when the member is in the extended operating position, the pins having headsfat theouter sides 'of said link and Ysaid `member for ,retaining `said member engaged with said pins,

the iiexible member being adapted to be'ibent means for engaging said pins for retaining the pins in the narrow outer ends of'said slot Y 6. 'In a tray mechanism, two trays, each having at yone end an outwardly extending pivot pin provided at its outer end with a head, a link having two longitudinal slots adjacent tothe respective ends of said link, said slots having enlarged inner ends adapted to permit the passage therethrough of said heads respectively, the outer ends of said slots having a width less than the rei spective diameters of said heads, and anexible spacing member having means for engaging said pins for holding the pins from being moved inwardly in said slots to positions in which the heads of the pins can pass through said slots, said spacing member being adapted to be bent into a position in which it will be released from said pins.

' 7. In a tray mechanism, two'trays, each having at one end an outwardly extending pivot pin provided at its outer end Vwith a head, a link having two longitudinal slots respectivelyk adjacent to the ends thereof, said slots having enlarged inner ends adapted to permit the passage therethrough of said heads respectively, anda flexible spacing member at the outer side of said link and provided with notches in its respective ends for respectively receiving said pins at the inner sides of said heads, said notches being of less width than the respective diameters of said heads, the flexible member in the normal extended position holding said pins from moving inwardly in said slots to positions in which said heads may .pass through said enlarged inner ends.

8. In a tray mechanism, two trays, two pairs of parallel connecting links, each pair having its yends respectively detachably iio iis

pivoted to adjacent ends of said trays, the

.distance between the. pivots of said barsbeing such as tori permit onel tray to swing to a position directly above'and resting upon the other tray to a position at one side of and in the same plane as the other tray, and releasable means for retaining said links in pivotal engagement with said trays.

9.7In a tray mechanisnntwo trays, andY izo iso

swing from a position directly above to a position at one side of and in the same plane as the other tray.

10. In a tray mechanism, two trays, each having at one end an outwardly extending pivot pin, a link having means for releasably pivotally engaging said pins, and a resilient member having means for releasably engaging said pins, and normally held by its resiliency engaged therewith and arranged to hold said link :from disengagement with said pins.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARY M. HAMMOND.

Witnesses:

WARREN D. HOUSE, W. F. HAMMOND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the hGommissioner of Patents,` Washington, D. C. 

